Lukashenko says Belarus, Russia have no economic disagreements

MINSK, October 20 (Itar-Tass) -- Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Belarus and Russia had no economic disagreements despite current complications in bilateral relations.

"From the economic point of view, we have no disagreements. This is a minor dispute. But it has affected some projects of course," Lukashenko said at Belarusian-Lithuanian talks on Wednesday, October 20.

"Squabbling is not our problem," he said.

Lukashenko stressed that there were basically no problems with Russia, and that it was pure information bickering. He said he had asked Belarusian journalists to stay away from it.

"We are not concerned about this. But we are concerned about life, trade and economic relations between the two countries," he said.

"We are ready to build relations with Russia, but it must understand that Belarus is a sovereign independent state, and that it has to build relations with it on the basis of civilised principles. It's all the more so because we are one people," the president said.

He noted that Belarusian-Russian relations should develop pragmatically. "This will pass," he said.